


Labyrinthitis

by Sharcade



Series: Whump Challenge [4]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Nausea, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vomiting, Whump, whump challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-06 13:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16388390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharcade/pseuds/Sharcade
Summary: David notices that Max is acting differently.





	Labyrinthitis

"Goooood morning campers!"

David was used to many different responses when he gave his typical morning greeting. Some of the younger campers - namely Space Kid and Dolph - would either offer him a smile or greet him back. The older campers - typically Ered, Harrison and Preston - wouldn't do much more than ignore him. However, one constant he could always count on was the fact that Max would stare at him with dark, unblinking eyes and spit out a vulgar retort. It was a continuity in his life.

What David was  _not_ used to from Max was pure silence. When he had given his morning greeting, he had expected Max to react in some way, Max always did. Instead, he was met with  _silence._ David paused, waiting an extra moment for something to happen as he eyed Max curiously. He immediately noticed that the camper looked pale, far paler than normal. Max almost looked dishevelled, squinting slightly as he stared down at the ground. David couldn't help but note the way Max seemed to sway slightly on his feet, a fact that concerned him. Neil - who was distinctly averting his eyes - had a hand subtly placed upon Max's back, seemingly the only thing keeping the boy upright. Something was definitely off.

"Today's morning activity," David began, forcing a smile for the others as he continued to watch Max out of the corner of his eye. "Will be canoeing out on the lake! Remember to sunscreen, and don't forget your life jackets! We'll be starting with forty-five minutes of water safety training!"

That would have to elicit some kind of response, the only thing Max hated more than camp activities was camp activity safety training. Nonetheless, the camper remained quiet, Neil's eyes flickering towards him every few moments. If David had to guess, he would say Max wasn't feeling well, but that didn't sound right. Even if Max was sick, he would never let Neil hold him up like that without an incredibly good reason. Something was wrong.

"Gwen," David prompted. "Maybe you should get everybody set up down by the pier, I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Gwen eyed him for a moment, David giving her a look that he hoped conveyed his intention. Sighing, Gwen gave a nod in response, ushering the campers down towards the pier as David approached Max and Neil. Neil immediately hunched his shoulders, almost instinctively jerking his hand away from Max's back before deciding against it.

"The fuck are you looking at?" Max muttered quietly, his usual bite missing from his tone.

"Max, we should probably get going to the pier-"

"Now hold on," David interrupted, crouching down to Max's level to get a closer look at him. "Max, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Max spat, his eyes still squinting oddly at David. "Get out of my face."

David furrowed his brow, meeting Max's eyes despite the fact that they never seemed to focus on him. Sick or not, something was off about Max.

"Neil," David began, forcing a small smile. "How about you run along and catch up with the other campers? Lake safety training is important!"

"But-"

"You wouldn't want to leave Nikki without a lake buddy, right Neil?"

Neil hesitated slightly, his eyes flickering between David and Max for a moment before the camper finally sighed. He offered Max a sympathetic look before turning, proceeding to the lake and leaving David and Max alone in front of the mess hall. Max had figured out pretty quickly that David was trying to get home alone, something he didn't appreciate, the camper attempting to follow Neil before being stopped by David's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Max, not feeling so hot?" David offered sympathetically.

"Fuck off," Max answered bluntly, slapping David's hand away.

The second David's hand left him, Max staggered, nearly tripping over his feet before David caught him by the back of his hoodie. 

"Let go of me you fucking moron," Max muttered unenthusiastically, not even bothering to hit David as he practically went limp in the counsellor's hold.

David frowned, lifting Max to his feet again as the camper paled, swaying once again. David had been a camp counsellor long enough to know that Max's expression was one of nausea; he was going to be sick. 

"Max, are you going to throw up?"

"No," Max insisted timidly. "I'm fine, fuck off."

David observed as Max pressed a clammy hand over his mouth, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to hold back his vomit. Any other child at the camp would have simply told a counsellor if they weren't feeling well, but Max was more resilient than that. Max would count that as some kind of  _win_ for David, a win that Max would never allow. David knew that much. Before David could get another word in, Max was tipping forward, David quickly catching him by the shoulders and picking him up hastily. Clearly Max was having trouble balancing; maybe it was an ear infection? David catalogued that thought for later.

"Put me down!" Max demanded, swatting haphazardly at David's face for a moment before gagging and returning his hand to his mouth, sweat beading on his forehead.

David could feel the camper shaking in his arms, it practically shattered his heart. Max never showed weakness, if he was letting David hold him, reluctantly or otherwise, it meant that something was definitely - perhaps even seriously - wrong.

"Put me...Put me down..." Max mumbled, his voice weakening as he slumped against David's arms. "Fuck, m'gonna be sick David-"

"One second," David replied quickly, tucking Max into his arm and walking briskly around to the back of the mess hall, pressing his free hand to Max's forehead to check for a fever - there wasn't one.

"Alright, a little privacy, I hope that helps," David offered sympathetically, setting Max down on the ground and keeping a steadying hand on his shoulder.

Max braced himself against the wall, his hands trembling slightly as he finally gave in, vomiting onto the ground and coughing sharply. David shifted his hand down, patting Max's back lightly as the boy spat up the rest of the fluid in his mouth before wiping his face weakly with his sleeve. Max's breaths came heavy and laboured, slowing down bit by bit as he began to settle down. David cautiously moved his hand back to Max's shoulder; the last thing he wanted now was for Max to collapse.

"Feeling any better?"

"Fucking  _no._ "

David picked Max up once again, the boy not giving him anything more than a glare in protest. If David had to guess, the only reason Max was being so tolerant of this was that he couldn't walk two steps without falling over. Max was going almost completely limp in his arms; David hoped he was at least comfortable. Ear infections weren't exactly an uncommon thing, he had seen dozens of campers get swimmer's ear over the years, but Max's symptoms weren't in line with a regular ear infection. He'd have to do some research.

"So what seems to be the problem?" David questioned, walking back towards the counsellor's cabin with only occasional glances at Max.

"M'not feeling well," Max spat, averting his eyes from David. "Stop looking at me like that. And don't let anybody fucking see you holding me. This is humiliating."

"Oh come on, Max," David began reassuringly, opening the cabin door and walking inside. "I just want to help you feel better! And nothing makes  _me_ feel better when  _I'm_ sick than some good old-fashioned TLC!"

"Maybe next time I'll get the plague," Max muttered, swatting lightly at David as his patience for the counsellor drew thin. "Then they'll have to fucking drag me out of this god-forsaken camp in a body bag."

"Well I promise that I'd visit you in the morgue," David entertained, setting Max down on the bed.

"I'd have you blacklisted."

David looked over Max curiously; he wondered if that had been the first time Max had thrown up today. He sort of doubted it. The way that Neil had been holding Max up was a clear indication that Neil knew about Max's condition, and he couldn't imagine Max letting Neil touch him without a good reason. If Neil and Max shared a tent and Neil was already holding him up by morning, David could only assume that-

"Did you already throw up this morning?" David prodded, cupping Max's cheek and looking his face over.

"Only once," Max answered reluctantly. "And then I got sick all over again when I saw your face."

"Can you at least tell me what's hurting?"

Max paused, glaring slightly at David before his expression softened into one of hesitancy. Anybody else wouldn't have been able to spot it, but David was well educated in the school of Max's emotions at this point. 

"My ear," Max muttered, looking away from David bitterly.

"That's what I'd figured, hold on," David replied, quickly walking over to the medicine cabinet and digging through it. "Aha! Eardrops!"

"What?"

"A good camp counsellor is always prepared for any sort of sickness!" David assured, walking back towards Max as he read over the bottle. "So I'll give you four drops of this, and then you can get some rest, alright?"

"You're not gonna make me do morning activities?" Max asked incredulously.

"Of course not, Max, you're not feeling well!"

Max didn't answer for a moment, his brows knitting together as he tried to pick apart David for any sort of tricks he might be trying to pull. This usually happened when David tried to take care of Max in any way - he assumed Max just wasn't used to the attention and the coddling.

"You're serious?"

"Of course!"

"Alright Camp Man," Max mumbled, still stunned. "Do your thing I guess."

David smiled brightly; he would get Max used to care if it took every last second of this summer.

**Author's Note:**

> I now have an official Tumblr! Feel free to stop by!
> 
> sharcade-involved.tumblr.com


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